Disclaimer: PRZ does not belong to me, and neither does the title of the story, the only thing I own in all this is the plotline. Which I hope you enjoy.
Author's Note: I sincerely hope that this chapter does justice to the previous chapter and Red and White.
Golden Homecoming Pt 2
Tommy winced as the bag of ice was placed on his bruised, almost swollen jaw. Served him right for trying to take on too many cogs at once. He didn't admit it but he had been trying to take his anger out on something, and the cogs had been in his way. Too bad for them, they had gotten as good a beating from him as he had gotten from them. But it was the result of the beating which was worse.
He winced again as he properly supported the bag on his face.
"Served you right." Rocky shook his head and wagged his finger at Tommy.
"Leave him alone," Adam grumbled. "Your lecture is going to give me a headache." He closed his eyes in hopes it would stop the dizziness he had gotten earlier from his fight with the cogs.
"Yea, whatever." Rocky ignored Adam.
"How come you don't have any injuries?" Tommy spoke slowly and faintly.
"Cos I used my weapon, unlike some idiots," Rocky told him while he took another ice bag out of the freezer. He heard Adam smirk. "And adding to that I had the girls," he said, referring to the Pink and Yellow Rangers.
Adam muffed an oath. "Lucky you."
Rocky grinned as he seated himself.
"Yep, lucky me," he mocked as he bounced up and down on his seat. "Two good looking females in spandex…" he elaborated with a sigh. "Who wouldn't want to be in my place?" and dodged when Adam threw a small cushion in his direction.
Tommy laughed.
"Laugh all you want, Mr. Oliver, but I wasn't the one who was angry." Rocky turned in Tommy's direction.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Tommy blinked, trying to look as blank as possible.
"He's talking about Jason's return." Adam said it on the Blue Ranger's behalf.
"What about it?" His throat was tight, he gulped and shifted in his seat.
"Come on, Tommy." Adam leaned forward, ignoring the spinning room around him. "Don't tell me his return and the fact he hasn't spoken to you since he came back isn't getting to you?"
"Why should it…get to me?" Tommy tried to relax, but he was aware of Adam's prodding and the fact he was right on target. "I've been busy with rangering and school." He faked up an excuse.
"You're a lame liar, you know that," Rocky spoke as he popped a peanut in his mouth.
"Like you're any better," Tommy growled at Rocky.
"Oh! I am indeed." He batted his lashes at the former White Ranger. "Come on, spill it out, whatever is biting you!" Rocky clapped his hands confidently.
"Nothing's biting me!" Tommy exclaimed.
"Really?" Rocky asked in mock shock. "And here I thought a bug was in your brain."
Adam laughed. "Ow, you're making my head hurt, Rocko," he told the Blue Ranger without looking at him.
"OK then." Rocky ignored Adam again. "When are you going to tell Kat and Tanya…and Billy for Christ's sake." He made a disgusted face.
"Tell them what?" Tommy asked tightly.
"That Jason's back!" Rocky leaned over, placing his elbows on his knees; he calmly looked at his leader.
"They know," he protested.
"Yes, they do." The Blue Zeo paused. "But when are you going to introduce Kat and Tanya to him?" he questioned thoughtfully.
"Is that necessary?" Even to himself that question sounded dim.
"No, not really, but it might be worth it. To keep…" he gestured with his hands, "the former Ranger up to date with the current team and vice versa."
"He's right, ya know," Adam said to Tommy as he moved from his position gently, "even Jason might have some questions. I mean he would have noticed the changes, right?"
Tommy remembered the anger he had seen in Jason's eyes a few days back. Did he really dare to believe that there might be a chance the two of them could talk without a heated discussion? "Yea," Tommy said as he removed the ice bag, when his jaw was numb. "He would have."
Billy threw the pen on the table, frustrated. He was at a loss, for the first time in his life he wasn't sure where he stood, with a friendship long forgotten and with the ones he knew today. He didn't want to talk to the Zeo team, since it wasn't his team, he wasn't fully part of it, and he was just a side asset the Rangers had. Just a guy who bailed them out of trouble whenever they needed him to; simply since they couldn't understand how the computer in the Power Chamber worked. He hadn't felt like this in years, and didn't think he might one day be back to square one.
He blew out a deep breath, and rubbed his tired eyes. He had been working on a project since noon and it was close to nine at night. He wasn't even halfway through it. Heck, he might never even finish it. So why was he wasting his time?
"Ever heard of the word break?" a deep voice asked dryly.
Billy turned around sharply, and saw Jason leaning near the door jam.
"And you care because?" Billy asked bluntly.
Jason shrugged. "Never liked seeing you work long hours."
The former blue Ranger smirked, and eyed his onetime leader. "What're you doing here?" He addressed his old friend carefully.
Hurt by the remark, Jason forced himself to look at the genius next to him. "Can't an old friend come and see the ones he left behind?"
"Kinda odd coming from someone who barely had time for the same old friends." Billy got up and rolled up his work.
Now that stung, Jason thought. "Well I...I…" He failed to continue. He took a deep breath. "OK, so I deserve that," Jason acknowledged.
"Yea?" Billy angled his head.
"Don't push your luck, blue boy." Jason shook his head and wagged his finger at his Blue Ranger.
Billy froze and faced Jason, "You..y…"
"Was I supposed to forget that nickname?" he asked, amused.
"No," Billy said, clearly and simply. "You had been gone for two years, I didn't think you remembered."
Jason sighed, and debated; maybe it was time that he revealed the truth behind his leaving. But would Billy see it as a coward's way out, or something else? He wasn't sure; there was only one way to find out.
"No, I never forgot, Billy," he confessed. "I never meant to leave you or Kim, it just kinda happened," he added.
"Kinda happened?" Billy raised his eyebrow. "You announced that you had gotten the chance to make a difference at the peace conference, and if my memory serves me correctly, there were only six phone calls and four letters back and forth over two years." His voice had raised, he didn't care. He was determined to have his say in the matter, whether Jason liked it or not.
"It was a fifty-fifty chance of being picked and-"
"But you were picked." Billy cut Jason off. "You, Trini and Zack were picked. You tossed Tommy, Kim and me aside like yesterday's news."
"It wasn't that." Jason tried to reason with Billy.
"Then tell me, what was it? It sure as heck wasn't Rocky and his friends' arrival." he pounded his fist on the table. Anger he felt since he discovered Jason's return, released.
"If you'll shut up for five minutes, I'll tell you!" Jason shouted and glared at Billy.
Minutes ticked by. "I have been waiting, you know." Billy said at last breaking the silent spell they both were under.
Jason closed his eyes. Here goes nothing. "It wasn't my team anymore."
"Wa…Wait a minute, what the hell are you talking about?"
"You heard me."
"Yea, I heard you. What do you mean it wasn't your team anymore?"
"Did you see me as the leader after Tommy took over?" Jason threw the question at Billy wanting to finish the matter quickly.
"We still listened to you, right?"
Jason shook his head. "That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the fact MY leadership was ripped off me. I didn't hand it over to Tommy. I mean, one day Zordon just decided that he didn't want me as the leader, but hey," there was unidentified humor in his voice, "there was always Tommy. And not even you or Kim had the decency to tell me that you still wanted me on the team. Come on, Billy, play fair."
Billy touched his cheek as if he had been slapped; Jason's words rang true, they hadn't bothered to ask, or even tell him. By not wanting to stop one friend from leaving they lost three instead. And never gave a thought as to why they left.
"We…um…" Billy tried to explain, but trailed off. He took a deep breath and tried again. "We wanted you guys to be happy; if we had asked it would have been selfish of us to do so. So I guess," he exhaled, "It wasn't the right choice, but Jase, we didn't know how strongly you felt about your leadership being taken away, you never told me or Kim, it was Zack and Trini you told."
"That's cos they asked; they listened. By the way, where's Kim?" he angled his head.
"Got the chance to live her dream of the Pan Globals in Florida." Billy grinned.
"Did you try to stop her?" Wanting Billy to see the point he was making.
"No, we didn't, since we knew how much she had trained for it." Then it struck him. "I'm sorry, I should have tried to talk to you, but I just didn't know how." He shrugged.
"Yea, me too, I know you tried, but me pushing you away didn't help the matter either," Jason admitted sheepishly.
"So, when are you going to talk to Tommy?" Billy asked, unsure himself, he now no longer trusted Tommy in a sense. "He's been a royal pain in the ass since you left," he told Jason, making him laugh.
"Maybe when the need arises," The former Red Ranger said.
Billy nodded and asked, "So are we…what Zack would say..." Billy paused to think. "Ah yes, are we cool?"
"Yea, yea, we're cool."
"I missed you, Big Brother."
"And I missed you, Little Bro."
"I guess I better go then," Jason said as he jammed his hands in his pockets.
"Yea, sure," Billy agreed, and watched his friend leave. Well, that was some improvement, he huffed, and began to tidy up.
Jason sighed, and blew out a breath. His talk with Billy had gone better than expected. He had thought Billy might have had his fist in Jason's face the moment he saw him. But it was the way he talked and sounded that pained Jason.
He had seen the hurt and the anger in his eyes and Jason didn't blame him. He couldn't since it was his idea to stop communicating with Billy and Kim. He was blocking out his past for a better future. But that hadn't worked, instead he had forgotten all about what made him – him. His past was much too important to his future. Trini made him see that. She had seen a lot in between; with her help he had gotten the courage to come home, to find himself again. But now he doubted if the plan had worked.
He breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm his nerves.
He had been lost once he gave up the power, and never confided in anyone. Never looked back to the place which had been his home; too many memories brought him joy and others brought him pain.
He shook his head, at least one friendship was mending, but with the other he wasn't sure just yet. But time would tell. He looked up to see the stars scattered across the black night. Pulling his coat closer for warmth, he made his way to his home, with the moonlight as his guide.
Tommy entered the Juice bar to find light teasing going on among the rangers. He had failed to see his onetime leader still not far from their table. But right at that moment he was having fun, not being slapped with the past in his face.
Over the last few weeks since Jason had arrived he had come to terms with the fact that their friendship was far from being repaired. But he never had lost hope that one day, just one day in the near future they might mend what was once broken.
He shook his head. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm so hungry," the red Zeo said.
Kat comically gasped, "Are you sure that you and Rocky didn't swap bodies?" she asked making the rest of their friends laugh.
"Ha ha, very funny, Kat." Tommy poked out his tongue at the Pink Ranger.
"If you're so hungry, why don't you go and order the food then," Rocky suggested, making a hand movement towards the counter. From the corner of his eye he saw Jason too, inwardly he smiled, while his face didn't show the emotion.
Adam's eyes followed Rocky's wave and he himself clearly saw the former Red Ranger sitting not far from them; he kicked Rocky from under the table. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed at his best friend.
"What do you think I'm doing?" he said from the corner of his mouth, not letting the pain from the kick be shown.
"Do you realize that neither of them happens to be aware of the other?" He spoke in a low volume, and took a quick glance at Kat and Tanya. Seeing them in a whispery conversation of their own he took his attention back to Rocky as he watched the Red Zeo place their order with Ernie, before looking at Rocky for an answer.
"Hey, Tommy, what can I get you?" Ernie the owner of the Juice bar greeted the former Green Ranger.
"Ernie, hey, I have a large army to feed," he told him, jerking his thumb behind him. Ernie nodded knowingly.
"The usual?" he asked.
"Oh yea," he said with a grin and tapped his fingers patiently on the counter while he waited for the drinks; he sighed and looked around and his gaze held when he saw Jason sitting right across from him.
Ah damn, was his first thought. Taking a deep breath and running his fingers through his hair, he found the strength to walk over to Jason for a talk, maybe take the first step to mend what was destroyed. He had put it off for ages – hoping Jason would take the first step forward; it was about time he told his side of the story to his friend. Even if it didn't make them best friends again. "Hey, Jase," he greeted him.
"Hello Tommy." Jason greeted his former best friend coolly, as he sipped on his smoothie. "What can I do for you?" he asked when he noticed that Tommy was still standing.
"Can we talk?" he dared himself to ask. He was still wary of getting a rejection like the first time he tried to talk to him before the first Red Ranger left.
Without a word, Jason motioned him to sit, while paying attention to his glass of mango smoothie which seemed more interesting to Jason than the man sitting across from him.
"Jason?" Tommy tried to get his friend's attention.
"Yea?"
"Can we talk without you ignoring me?" The third red Ranger said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"I can try." Jason shrugged and put aside his glass. "Well, go on." He leaned back with his hands resting behind his head, waiting patiently for Tommy to say something.
"It wasn't my fault," he whispered. "I didn't ask to be the leader, it was something that just happened."
Knowing what Tommy was talking about, Jason got up. "I'm not talking about this to you or anyone else," and left the bar after paying for his drink.
He had brushed Tommy off, like a fly. Jason hadn't been prepared for the talk, but he wasn't sure when he would be. He hadn't come to terms with what happened. He found it easier to ignore – than face – the facts. It was choice rather than a risk.
While he might have cooled down after two years, he still wasn't ready to face a few things and people just yet. All he wanted was to just get back to his routine without having Oliver popping here, there, and everywhere. It's not too much to ask, is it? he thought as he tried to bury himself in his jacket from the chilly autumn wind.
He sighed, the team he had known during his time as the Red Ranger wasn't here, instead that same team had spread across the globe like the stars in the night. Spread out so far it was becoming harder and harder to keep in touch with them, Trini and Zack in London, Kim in Florida, Billy, Tommy and him in Angel Grove. The ones who were near - he wasn't talking to one of them; as for the ones who were far away, he wished for them to be home.
Home? He looked around the place – the park to be exact, where he could see himself in the old days playing football with Zack and their other friends – he left as a fourteen year-old, only to return as a more mature and controlled person, someone he didn't recognize himself. The person he had been was lost along the way; at times he would stare at his own reflection in the mirror and never see the Jason he had known. But that Jason was strong, he wasn't, that Jason didn't get pissed, he did.
He frowned, why was he trying to find the other Jason? Why did he want his other self here and now? He had buried that Jason, the one Tommy knew was no longer alive.
That had been his choice.
But he made other choices too, stuck to it for two years, never regretting. He hissed out a breath and continued to walk.
The chatter of children playing nearby was deafening, so loud he could only wish he had earplugs. He smirked.
After another few minutes of silent walking he saw a young boy, being pushed around by a older, tougher looking kid, he was about to walk to them but stopped when he saw another guy come behind the one who was being bullied. The fair-haired kid pushed his friend aside and tried to take on the bully. But Jason was within hearing distance and also in view; he could step in and break up the fight if it got worse.
"You leave my friend alone," the boy hissed.
"Oh yea, what you gonna do?" the bully asked.
The fair-haired kid wasted no time and landed a punch on the bully's jaw. "Now beat it."
"Hey Mike, thanks," the blond said.
"Ah Timmy, no worries." He waved a hand and patted his friend's shoulder. "That's what best friends are for." He smiled before leading Timmy away towards Jason, brushing past the Former Red Ranger.
Jason sighed, was this some sort of a sign? Was it time to let go of what he couldn't change, to forgive and forget?
Or maybe close the door on a certain chapter of his life?
He wasn't certain, but maybe he could give it a try. He could.
Who knew what would come after this, or out of this.
He turned to look at the two friends happily bantering away. He took a deep breath and walked away.
Whoever said that old friends were golden was a fool, Tommy growled as he stood on the beach– in the same spot where a friendship he had known started – a week later. He'd had firsthand experience in that department for longer than he cared to remember. This place he knew was scared spot not only for him, but also for another. The same person who now refused to acknowledge the strong bonds of a friendship they shared.
Even most of the early memories of his time as the Green and the White Ranger he knew were shared with him. He was in most ways a brother in sprit, the one who could understand him.
He was the only one.
Their friendship had survived the test over and over again, but much to his regrets, there was one test it didn't pass. One test that sliced the bond in half shattering the faith one held in him.
The one who was his guard, his savoir from evil; was now a stranger with the shared memories. That stung, Tommy admitted. It more than stung; it was like having salt in the wounds that never healed.
Jason delightful laugher that rang into the hallways of the high school pained him, to know he wasn't the one to cause of that outburst. But the pain in the midnight eyes was always there. Was it regretting kind of pain, or something else? He didn't know.
Jason always had been hard to read. Always a piece of puzzle he could never figure out. Maybe it was because he was the leader for so long. He had to be strong.
Tommy he knew he never was. Not to the same extent as Jason. Jason was stubborn as they came.
Breaking that wall would be a challenge. The one he wasn't really looking forward to. Turning away from the beach he headed to down the path he could do it in his sleep.
The same path he had taken during his Green Ranger days and knew it was well as his own way home. He had spent a lot time playing basketball in that driveway.
He sighed and headed to the front door; blowing out a breath he knocked, waited patiently. It had been his stupid idea to get Jason for the Golden Powers, after Billy failed to …he couldn't think of the technical term for it not now; not ever; all he had to do was convince the man in that house to go with him to the Power Chamber. He was the one who said he knew just the person for the job, so why did Jason pop into his head? Of that he wasn't sure. But he knew sometimes the fates played against you, as well as along with you.
"Tommy." The deep voice greeted him hoarsely bringing Tommy out of his thoughts; seeming surprised at Red Zeo's visit. "Well, what are you doing here?"
"Came to talk to you," Tommy told him nearly snapping, he wasn't in the mood of having the door slammed on his face; wasn't in the mood of having a fight. If Jason couldn't keep their differences aside for five minutes, Tommy knew he would. He had a lot more things to consider than having his fist in Former Red Ranger's face.
Tommy wasn't stupid; he knew he had to be prepared for the worst. The last time he came to this house their conversation hadn't gone well.
It had been that day he had found out the reality of Jason's leaving, it had hurt deep in his guts to know that he was the cause of Jason's decision to leave; the cause of his leadership being ripped away. As the pain rose up, he shook the memories away, maybe this time it would be different. All he could do was wish.
"So what brings you by?" Jason asked breaking into Tommy thoughts, still standing in the foyer of his home.
"Well, um…" He rubbed his neck and looked at Jason who was patiently waiting. "We have a problem."
Jason retorted, "And you came to me because of it?"
"Who else would I have gone to?" He asked shooting Jason a glare.
"There's always Billy" The sharp daggers from his tone stabbed Tommy.
"Tried him" Tommy's voice was flat, "if I knew where Zack is, I would have gone to him" he added bluntly, giving Jason a bored look, "and there isn't time to search for him."
Jason sighed, rubbed his face, and motioned Tommy in without a word. Unbelievable, the Former leader shook his head, as he calmly looked at the former White Ranger who seem to have the opposite effect on him. Defiantaly unbelievable.
"Why not?" he wanted to bore Tommy out of his mind so he could be left alone.
"Anyone else around?" he asked, not wanting to take a chance of begin overheard.
Jason shook his head, "Mom's shopping and Dad's outta town." He said easily, giving his former best friend a light shrug.
"Ah," the current red Ranger nodded, unsure as to what he should do, Tommy jammed his hands in his pocket, paced.
The silent spell they both were under was somehow, awkward. Either was sure as to how to continue what they wanted to say.
"You…uh…wanna have a seat?" Jason offered.
"huh?" Tommy looked up, and saw Jason pointing to the lounge room, "yea, sure" he followed him from behind.
"So um…." He began, "you are here for…?"
"Oh, uh…the thing is," Tommy, trailed off to gather his thoughts, absently he sat in the same chair in which Jason announced his leaving, but neither of them noticed, "Well, the thing is that," he put his head back for a rest, and blew out a breath, "where in the hell do I start?"
Jason's lips curved in what was amusement, "well, you could try being blunt," he suggested, when Tommy frowned, "you didn't have a problem being blunt, just few minutes ago, Oliver." He added dryly.
"Yes, I could," there was some edge in his tone, but he was gathering his thoughts, "Well, the thing is, there is another ranger who needs to pass on his powers."
"Uh, huh" Jason said still not following. "No offense, Oliver, but I'm still not following you."
Nervously licking his lips, Tommy, leaned forward, "You have seen the new Power Rangers right?" When Jason leaned back and folded his arms, and said nothing, He continued, "The Thunder Zords were destroyed, by Rito, Rita's brother, we embarked to get the ninja coins, when they got destroy, we got new Powers, the Zeo Crystals'."
"And?" he got a slight over all information.
"And now, we got a sixth Ranger, but Mondo…"
"The newest bad guy on the block, right?" Jason interrupted.
Tommy laughed, but nodded, "The meanest SOB, of course. Badder then Zedd, Bro"
The word "bro", startle them both. Jason looked at him in pure shock, unable to get any words out, feeling uncomfortable; he forced himself to clam down, "Go on" his voice was tight, and hoarsely.
When the flare of hope that had lit in his eyes, dim, Tommy didn't give his disappointment away, "He…um…tried to get the powers for his own use," he heard Jason swear and had a half a smile on his own lips.
They both knew what would have happened, if Mondo got his hands on the powers. It was part of history they did not wish to repeat.
A mutual agreement by choice.
"But he has the Ranger injured, but," Tommy lifted a figure to silence Jason's protest he saw coming, "he had split into three, and he needs to pass the powers on temporarily for a while before they are lost forever, so I thought maybe…" he didn't need to finish, his eyes transmitted the remaining of his message.
Jason closed his eyes, and took a deep breath; it was too much information to absorb in a go. What Tommy was asking was something Jason vowed to never touch again. "Thanks for coming by, but I can't take up what you are offering Tommy." For the first time in nearly two years Jason had called Tommy, but his first name, but at that moment it was chosen to be kept aside.
Concealing his hurt, Tommy got up and walked to the door. "Yea," he agreed, "If you change your mind, you will find me on the beach" and without looking back he walked away.
He didn't have to tell Jason where on the beach he would be, Tommy knew he did have to tell, just be at their spot.
TCB...
End of Part 2
Yup it's getting dragged on again. :p